ARTIST SPOTLIGHT ~ ANDREW SCOTCHIE

Artist Spotlight is a segment that we started to introduce our listeners to some deserving up and coming artists/ bands. They have made an impact on us for all of the right reasons. We think they kick ass and we hope you do too! Today, we’d like to shine the spotlight on Andrew Scotchie !

Every superhero or villain has an origin and a band is no different minus the radioactive spiders and secret government experiments. What is the origin of Andrew Scotchie and how you got into music?

Neither of my parents played an instrument or sang but they were avid music listeners. Growing up, I would hear everything from bluegrass to metal and classical to grunge. My dad Tom would always point out certain parts in songs. He would say things like “listen to this drum fill coming up” or “this song reminds me of insert experience”. So before I even learned a chord, I had a basic understanding of song structures and I understood that music has a special place in people’s hearts. I am an Asheville native and I grew up going to Bele Chere, Shindig on the Green, The Orange Peel, Jack of the Wood, Stella Blue (now Asheville Music Hall). In many ways the city was an educator just as much as my parents were. My parents were encouraging with my music discovery. Friend’s of mine in school had parents that wouldn’t allow certain bands at home. My dad was the guy blasting AC/DC and Tom Petty on the way to baseball practice. In 2003 (age ten) I started taking lessons at Musician’s Workshop in Asheville. I took lessons for about 2 or 3 years and then began starting bands. My first teenage band that played live shows was called “Rightful Intentions”. Those few years were very influential and further fed my desire to perform. That was the first band that I played original music with.

When I was 15 my dad was murdered in West Asheville and that made music not only something I love but something I had to have to survive. It became medicinal. I began writing more than I ever had. Writing was (and still is) cathartic. I don’t know what I would have done without music after his death. It kept me in touch with him and kept me inspired to go out and live life as much as I could. The same year (2008) my uncle Paul bought me a ’72 reissue Fender Telecaster (the very same I use onstage today) and we started a power duo called Big Worm. I wrote a lot during that time with Paul. He gave me such a safe space to explore, get my frustration out and he turned me onto so much music I still love today. Fast forward two years, I started gigging out as a power trio called “the Neverhads” that would eventually become the River Rats. It was around this same time I started a backyard bash called “Barnaroo”. My mom was kind enough to let a bunch of teenagers build a stage in the barn my dad built in the backyard. After several late night jams, I knew something special was happening. My friends and I ended up starting the first youth run music festival in the Asheville area. The event grew and grew. We had bands from all over the region come and play, the local paper covered it and before we knew it got way too big to take place at a private residence (that and the neighbors filed a noise complaint). The event lasted until early 2013 in my moms backyard. Much of my early sound and style was born at Barnaroo and sharpened from the peer support it gave.

Much was a group effort but I ultimately played ringleader of Barnaroo and found that I actually loved organizing events and had an affinity for connecting people. After the noise complaint, I met Frances Tacy who had just opened a 33 acre farm in Leicester NC which is about 10-15 mins from Asheville. Frances and I bonded almost immediately and I moved the festival to Franny’s Farm in November 2013 where it lived until 2018. We had all the best local/regional bands like Woody Wood, Get Right Band, Southern Culture on the Skids, Eric Gales, Yarn etc. and a portion of the proceeds benefited the Asheville Music School programs. The fest took a hiatus during covid but I do suspect there will be a reunion as soon as we are all able to make that happen. I mention the evolution of Barnaroo because without those highs and lows, I would not be the person and musician I am today. I soaked up so many different styles and grew so much from it. I’m working on my first book and Barnaroo/those who made it possible will definitely have a dedicated chapter or two.

The band and I put our first album out in 2012. It wasn’t until about 2015 or 2016 that shows became more consistent and bigger festival slots came into the picture. By 2018, the band had established a fan base in several cities and in 2019 we went on our first tour out west. Persistence, dedication and the fans have all contributed to the longevity of the music. The band members past and present put in countless hours on the road, in the studio and rehearsing. I never treated music as a hobby, it was (and still is) my job, my purpose. People took chances on us and helped guide us but nothing was handed to us. It had to be earned. We still have fans that come to shows that have been coming to see us since 2014 and that makes me really happy. It’s all about the songs, it’s about the genuine human connection and it’s about the healing power of music. With each show and each album, I have always tried to outdo myself and always be growing. I am thankful to have made it through the worst of the pandemic as an artist and I am forever grateful for the fans that supported and encouraged me when live shows weren’t possible.

Discography:

2012: Soul and Sarcasm

2013: Barnaroo Bootleg

2015: We All Stay Hungry

2016: Live from Highland Brewing

2018: Family Dynamo

2019: My First Christmas Without You

2020: Everyone Everywhere

2021: Live…From a Distance

2023: Love is Enough (out June 9th)

Band names can have a meaning or it can be a name pulled out of a hat. What’s the story behind yours? I know you dropped “& The River Rats” from your name. Maybe you could tell me about how that name happened and why you ended up dropping it?

So when I started writing the songs like “Riverside” and “I’ve Got the Keys” that would eventually lead to live shows/recording as a band, I was a teenager living at home. My bedroom was our rehearsal space. We would play and play until we were dripping with sweat. I grew up on Riverside Drive in Asheville so naturally we would go cool off in the French Broad River after practice. It was the first drummer of the band that recommended I call it “The River Rats’. That name stuck for several years and several releases. I found out there was another band called “the River Rats” overseas. To differentiate, I stuck my name in front of it. Just very recently I have rebranded and I am releasing music/touring under just my name. The band has no problem with this. haha. A few of them actually recommended this. I want and need the freedom to collaborate with other artists and doing it all under my name helps with that. That and I have also been doing solo acoustic listening room shows when I can. I want to be able to do both full on rock & roll shows and shows in more intimate settings that really serve the message of the songs.

What are you currently working on?

My 5th studio album Love is Enough comes out on Friday, June 9th, so, when I am not touring, all my work has been going towards promoting the release of this album and booking shows around it. I believe wholeheartedly that this record is the best one I have made, it is perhaps the most revealing and the most different from anything I have previously released. Some of the tracks are stripped down, led by acoustic guitar and harmonies, some are straight ahead rock & roll songs with the intent of making you laugh, cry and all around want to go out and hug random strangers. The album was recorded in Bristol VA at Classic Recording Studio with Grammy Nominated Mike Stephenson behind the board, Logan Fritz on bass/vocals/guitar and Neal Reid on drums/percussion. There is a really organic and natural feel to this album. The studio has sonic magic bouncing off the walls. It was the first album that I left home to record and it was a long awaited collaboration between Logan Fritz and I. What Logan has added to this album is unreal and I cannot wait for the world to hear these songs.

What are your 5 favorite albums?

That changes a lot but here are 5 based on the past few weeks!

1) Denim & Diamonds – Nikki Lane

2) Asking for a Ride – White Reaper

3) Dreamboat Annie – Heart

4) Voodoo Lounge – Rolling Stones

5) Birthday – Florencia and the Feeling

What was your favorite cartoon growing up?

Scooby Doo all the way! I watched a lot of the classic 60’s and 70’s episodes and loved some of the movies that came out in the early 2000’s as well. Zombie Island is my favorite Scooby movie. To this day, I still watch the classic episodes and short movies to wind down after a long day. It’s so calming. I love the animation and how much of the background shots in the show were paintings.